So I did studying of other people's work, read articles, did tutorials, checked out some of the DVD's and finally decided to test my hand. So here is my first matte.

http://www.artofnargi.com/otherimages/dumpingout.jpg

Comments and critiques are DEF most welcome, as I'm sure I can learn something new.

Thanx! :D

RiKToR

05-17-2006, 02:46 PM

On critique is that the rivers would not follow the curvature of the hill. Based on the apparent angle in which you painted them gravity would pull them in down the slope. A river is nature's cutting force and it will cut into hills, mountains, anything to get out to sea. Generally rivers will be in valley, but not always. The important thing would be to flatten the area in which the river flow, in order to do this you would have to paint the rivers more parallel to the horizon at a distance and counting to show a fltter surface until the river ends. Google some pictures and you'll se what I mean.

Tigaer

05-17-2006, 02:50 PM

i agree to what riktor said. the pic actually looks good i think and only the rivers are a bit off. maybe pespective lines would help you to get the rivers look right in that landscape. keep it up! :)

Timmay

05-17-2006, 03:42 PM

I think I understood what you guys were saying, so I made changes.

http://www.artofnargi.com/otherimages/do2.jpg

RiKToR

05-17-2006, 05:07 PM

They look better, but perhaps have them cut through the walls of the hills and creat kind of short cliff, after all they are eroding away for years. Try to also get a little more parallel water is maliable and easily manipulated by gravity making it want to flatten out like the ocean.

Noel B

05-18-2006, 12:31 AM

I know this may sound mean but its not ment to.

Studying pictures from this site and watching tutorials isn't going to help with the final composition. You need to have the back ground and technique to back it up. The picture in itself isn't all that bad but real world attributes are followed.
1. The rivers either bank at an angel or seem to float on the landscape ...and at some points even travel up hill. It is not a sin to use references from stock photos or national geographics to aid in your rendition of a picture.
2.How long did this take.... its ok to take days or weeks on your first couple of paintings...... I am still in the beginings and I take weeks to finish work that still doesn't compare to the masters on this site..... and they finish better paintings then I do in mear hours.